HEC-RAS Unsteady Flow Computer Workshop

Instructors

Martin J. Teal, P.E., D.WRE, P.H.
Mr. Teal has worked with hydraulic models for more than 15 years and currently serves as project manager and senior hydraulic engineer with WEST Consultants. His experience includes working as a hydraulic engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and as a civil engineer for a large multinational firm in Chile. In his nine years as a private consultant with WEST, he has dealt with these problems for clients in both the public and private sectors throughout the United States and internationally.

Mr. Teal earned his BS in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and his MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Hydraulics) from the University of Iowa. He has taught HEC-RAS courses since 1997 throughout the U.S. and Latin America.

Todd Bennett, P.E.
Mr. Bennett is a numerical hydraulic and hydrologic modeler at WEST Consultants, Inc. He is an experienced lecturer for both steady and unsteady flow HEC-RAS modeling, as well as for hydrologic modeling with HEC-HMS.

Mr. Bennett has over ten years of extensive experience and a strong educational background in hydraulics, hydrology, and numerical modeling. His specific work experience includes numerous hydraulic studies, hydrologic simulation modeling of watersheds, sediment erosion and deposition modeling, water quality modeling, and planning and modeling salmonid habitat restoration projects.

Brian Wahlin, Ph.D., P.E.
Dr. Wahlin is a senior hydraulic engineer with WEST Consultants with over 10 years of experience in hydraulic modeling. He worked at the U.S.Water Conservation Laboratory in Phoenix, AZ for over 11 years. During this time, Dr.Wahlin developed numerous unsteady flow models of irrigation canals. These unsteady hydraulic models were the basis of the U.S. Water Conservation Laboratory’s pioneering research in the area of automatic control of irrigation delivery systems. To design and test various automatic controllers, Dr. Wahlin coupled them with hydraulic models of the irrigation canals, and performed a large number of unsteady hydraulic simulations. At WEST Consultants he has performed hydraulic modeling and floodplain studies as well as water management modeling.

Course Description

Sponsored by ASCE's Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), this HEC-RAS seminar and computer workshop provides an opportunity to learn about using HEC-RAS for modeling unsteady flow applications in addition to some advanced aspects of steady flow modeling. Numerous workshops throughout the three days provide useful hands-on experience in working with HEC-RAS. The instructors are experienced in both applying and teaching others how to use the software program.

The seminar begins with an introduction to using the unsteady flow component of HEC-RAS. Additional lectures present unsteady flow theory, steps for developing an unsteady flow simulation, and procedures for creating a stable and calibrated model. Guidance is given for techniques on modeling bridges and storage areas in the unsteady flow environment. You’ll see the inline and lateral weir features that can be added in both steady and unsteady flow models. Workshops accompanying these lectures provide practical application experience in HEC-RAS unsteady flow modeling. New features in the latest release of HEC-RAS are also discussed.

Some of the seminar benefits include:

• Understand why unsteady flow modeling is important
• Understand the differences between steady and unsteady flow theory and modeling techniques
• Become familiar with the modeling capabilities in HEC-RAS including bridges, culverts, storage areas, gates, and inline and lateral structures
• Understand how to develop a stable and calibrated unsteady flow model
• Get acquainted with the full capabilities of features included in the program
• Gain intensive, hands-on experience in model application
• Hear about “real life” applications
• Earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Seminar Features

Workshop participants receive the following publications and software:

• HEC-RAS Software (latest version)
• HEC-RAS Course Notes and Workshop Problems
• HEC-RAS User Manual (digital copy)
• HEC-RAS Hydraulic Reference Manual (digital copy)
• HEC-RAS Application Manual (digital copy)
• HEC-RAS Example Problems (digital copy)

Who Should Attend

Consulting engineers, water resource planners, engineers employed by local, state, or federal agencies. Participants should have some experience in flood plain hydrology and hydraulics and prior experience with HEC-RAS or have completed a basic HEC-RAS course.

Summary Outline

Day One

• New Features in HEC-RAS 3.1
• Introduction to Unsteady Flow Modeling with HEC-RAS
• Detailed Output and Results for Unsteady Flow Modeling
• Computer Workshop on Unsteady Flow Modeling
• River Mechanics and Unsteady Flow Theory
• Additional Geometric Data for HEC-RAS Unsteady Flow Models
• Computer Workshop on Preprocessing for HEC-RAS Unsteady Flow Models
• Computer Workshop on Pre-Processing for HEC-RAS Unsteady Flow Models

Day Two

• Boundary and Initial Conditions in the HEC-RAS Unsteady Flow Data Editor
• Modeling Bridges and Culverts using HEC-RAS Unsteady Flow
• Computer Workshop on Modeling Bridges
• Modeling Inline and Lateral Weirs
• Advanced Unsteady Flow Features
• Computer Workshop on Inline and Lateral Weirs

Day Three

• Modeling Storage Areas and Hydraulic Connections
• Computer Workshop on Adding Structures to an Unsteady Flow Model
• Calibration of Unsteady Flow Models
• Computer Workshop on Calibrating an Unsteady Flow Model
• Model Stability, Accuracy, and Sensitivity
• Computer Workshop on Troubleshooting